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Is Tim Tebow holding on to the ball too long?

GAINESVILLE — Tim Tebow not only leads the Florida Gators in rushing attempts this year with 99, but he has more attempts than the next two highest players combined – Jeff Demps (53) and Chris Rainey (41).

Tebow is second on the Gators this season with 378 rushing yards on 3.8 yards per attempt. At his current pace, assuming the Gators play in 14 games this year, Tebow will carry the ball a career-high 231 times.

But many of his carries are not designed runs. If Tebow’s first or second options aren’t open in the passing game, Tebow has shown a propensity toward tucking the ball and taking it up-field himself instead of going through his progressions and looking for his third and fourth receivers.

“He’ll go 1-2 and then get going,” Urban Meyer said. “Other quarterbacks maybe go 1-2-3-4, but those same quarterbacks aren’t completing at a high percentage and aren’t as third down efficient as Florida.”

“Tim, like all quarterbacks, does some things great, some things he needs work at. But his ability to get a first down – I counted three in the first half here (against Arkansas), that he got a first down when he put his foot down and went. And that’s part of what makes him such a great player.”

True, Florida’s third-down conversion rate is stellar – 51.35 percent, tops in the SEC and sixth in the nation.

But are Tebow’s legs the best way for Florida to score points? Tebow’s pass-rush ratio is closer to 1:1 than it ever has been in his career – 1.11 passes for every rush this year, compared to 1.69 in 2008 and 1.67 in 2007 – yet the Gators’ offense is scoring fewer points.

The Gators are averaging 25 points per game in four SEC contests, compared to 43.3 points per SEC game a year ago and 38.1 in 2007. Tebow has already been sacked 12 times this year, compared to 15 for all of 2008 and 13 for 2007. The offense has scored a touchdown on just 50 percent of trips inside the Red Zone this year, compared to 75 percent last year.

Tebow’s passing stats are still in line with his career numbers – a 65.5 completion percentage, a 9:2 touchdown to interception ratio and a passer rating of 164.63 – but he’s also on pace for a career-low 257 passing attempts, a sure sign that he is putting the load more on himself this year. In four SEC games, Tebow averages 21 carries per game.

“He’s got to throw the ball,” CBS analyst Gary Danielson said. “I don’t care what anyone says, he’s too good of a passer for him not to throw the ball. Ask Nick Saban if he doesn’t think he can throw and win.”

Can Tebow continue to hold onto the ball this much?

“If it means that we’re going to win, absolutely,” Tebow said.

Meyer, though, has said he thought the Gators’ offense would have “more balance.” The Gators average more rushing yards per game (259.8) than passing (210.7).

“I thought we’d be a little further ahead than we are right now,” Meyer said. “At some point, you’re going to have to throw the ball to win the game.”

In Saturday’s ugly 23-20 win over Arkansas, Tebow carried a whopping 27 times, and while he gained 114 yards, the stat sheet says he finished with 69 yards because Tebow lost 45 yards on six sacks. The Gators had protection issues, but Tebow was just as responsible for some of those sacks.

“We held onto the ball for too long,” Meyer said. “After the game I felt, ‘Throw the ball.’ But how do you evaluate a quarterback? A winner, and efficiency. And you find me one better than Tim.”

Riley Cooper and Aaron Hernandez have combined for 51 catches, 693 yards and five touchdowns this season. The rest of the team has 43 catches for 571 yards and seven touchdowns. The losses of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy, two players making an immediate impact in the NFL, have hurt the Gators’ passing game. If Tebow doesn’t see one of his top two receivers open, he takes off with his feet instead of trying to make a play with his arm.

“It’s easy for a receiver to say, ‘Hey, stay in the pocket three or four more seconds and wait for me to get open,” said receiver David Nelson, third on the team with eight catches for 79 yards. “But we don’t know how it feels to have a 320-pound defensive tackle coming after you at full speed. The receivers are being patient, waiting for our time to prove ourselves, and at the same time blocking our tails off on the perimeter.”

Danielson, who has called three of Florida’s games so far, said the Gators are better off with Tebow running the ball instead of trying to find the third or fourth receiver.

“Right now, that’s a wonderful third progression. It drives defenses crazy,” Danielson said. “He’s a senior, he’s the best player in the country, and I don’t see why you wouldn’t use him.”

The NFL scouts want to see quarterbacks go through three, four progressions on a passing route. But that would take away what Tebow does best, Danielson said.

“Why would you want him to play like Ryan Mallett? That would be crazy,” Danielson said. “Every time they don’t use him, the defensive coordinator says, ‘Thank you very much.'”